Expansion-joint.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL T. MORSE AND WILLIS D. P. WARREN', OF CARLINVILLE, ILLINOIS.

EXPANSION-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed April B, 1913. Serial No. ?59,733.

To all whom it may ooncm:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL T. Monse and WILLIS D. P. VVARREN, citizens of the United States, residing at Carlinville, in the county of Macoupin and State of Illinois,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Expansion-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in expansion joints and has particular application to a joint of the class described for use in the Construction of roadways formed of conlcrete and other analogous plastic materas.

In carrying out the present invention, it is our purpose to provide an expansion joint for concrete roadways whereby cracking, swelling and other mutilation of the roadway will be obviated and which may be manufactured and installed at a minimum expense.

It is also our purpose to provide an expansion joint of the type set forth which will embrace the desired features of Simplicity, eiicieney, durability and strength and one which will embody few parts and these so correlated and arranged as to reduce the possibility of derangement and fracture to a minimum.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the Construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectonal View through a concrete roadway, the same being shown as equipped with an expansion joint constructed in accordance with the present invention. F ig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View in elevation of one of the elements of the joint, and Fig. 3 is an end View thereof.

Refe'ring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the numeral 1 designates the plastie mass fonning the roadway WhlCh mass may be formed of any suitable material and reinforced as desired.

In acco rdance with our present invention, the roadway is divided into sections or stretches of any suitable or desired length and the top edges of the sections contiguous the confronting faces thereof are rabbeted as at 2 to receive the head 3 of a T-shaped reinforcing bar 4:, such head forming a bridge and protecting the corners of the Sections, while the depending stem 5 of the renforcing bar is interposed between the oonf'onting faces of the sections. Adjacent to its lower longitudinal edge, the stern 5 of the T-shaped reinforcing bar 4 is stamped out to form a series of lugs, punches, or deformations (3 suitably spaced apart along the length of the stem end of any desired shapc, such lugs being adapted to be g'ipped and embedded within the confrontng faces of the respective sections of the plastc mass.

Interposed between the confronting faces of adjacent sections and disposed at the opposite sides of the stem 5, or upon one side of such stem, of the respective T-shaped reinforcing bar are compressible strips 7 composed of any suitable material and designed to compensate for any expansion or centi-action in the sections of the roadway.

From the foregoingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the Construction, mode of operation and manner ot' employing our invention will be readily apparent. lt will be seen that we have provided an expansion joint.for roadways formed of plastic material whereby mutilation of the roadway such, for instance, as cracking, swelling and the like, is obviated, while the reinforcing bar atthe joint functions to prevent fracturing of the edges of the sections of the material and at the same time secures the compressible strips in position so that displacement of such strips in the expansion and contraction of the se'ctions ot' the roadway is obviated.

While we have herein shown and described one pret'e'red form of our invention by way of illustration, we wish it to be understood that Wc do not limiter confine our- Selves to the precise details of Construction herein described and delincated, as modification and Variation may be made within the scope of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l/Ve claim:

1. In an expansion joint for conc'etc roadways, the combination with' a roadway form'ed of a number of sections of plastic material, of a reinforcing bar disposed between the conf'onting edges of adjaccnt sections, and strips of compressiblc material interposcd between such edges and arranged at the opposite sides of said bar.

2. In an expansion joint for concrete roadways, the combination with a roadway formed of a number of sections of plastic material, of a T-shaped reinforcing bar having the head thereof spanning the space between the sections and the stern interposed between the confronting edges of such sections, and compressble strips disposed atthe opposite sides of said stem.

3. In an expansion joint for concrete roadways, the combnation with a roadway formed of a number of sections of plastic material, of a T-shaped reinforcing bar having the head thereof spanning the space between the sections and the stem interposed between the confronting edges of such sections, and compressible strips disposed at the opposite sides of said stem, said stem adjacent to its lower longitudinal edge being stamped out to form lugs spaced apart and designed to be embedded in the material of the sections.

4. In an expansion joint for concrete roadways, the combination with a roadway formed of a number of sections of plastic material, of a reinforcing bar disposed between the confronting edges of adjacent sections and having a head spanning the upper edges of said sections, and a strip of compressible material interposed between such v 

